Fisher-Price iXL Review

When I first saw the iXL Learning System, I thought, “Oh just another kid gaming system.” I was both right and wrong. It game out of the box very easily. There were no batteries included so we had to grab 4 AA’s before we could start. Loading the batteries was different but incredibly easy. With the unit closed you turn a plastic screw on the case to ‘unlocked’ and then slid the cover back. Within a minute we were powered up and ready!

My Daughter Takes Over

After I turned on the iXL it was gone! My daughter quickly snatched it up to explore the capabilities. Looking over the instructions I began to mention the options but she was already lost in thought figuring things out for herself. The ease of use for a 5-year old was perfect. She quickly figured how to navigate the menu and the touch screen buttons were colorful and easy to understand. As a parent I think having a touch screen with a ‘stylus’ pointer is a valuable tool to work on fine-motor skills.

It took her about a minute to get to the art section and start a drawing. She loves art. The program was a fairly standard Paint style application with a few fun kid additions. After a good thirty minutes she was ready to try her hand at some of the other applications the player had to offer.

Fisher-Price iXL Makes a Great Teaching Toy

This system has a lot for kids. The player comes pre-loaded with a basic set of games, a story, songs, pictures, and theme. For reading you can select the story and choose either play or read. In both cases the child is learning reading skills and having fun. There is a great writing section for practicing writing numbers, letter, and words. The games are a bit simplistic in manner such as a “frogger” style, but incorporate counting into them while still keeping it fun.

Entertainer

My daughter was really engrossed with this toy on so many levels. With the variety we had she was playing and learning without even realizing how much time was going by. A 30 minute drive passed with hardly a question until I heard, “We are here already?” The portability makes it an ideal travel companion, even on errands, to keep your child occupied while you do boring adult stuff. In a way it is like a guilt free pleasure because they are learning and loving it. Plus there are head-phone jacks and it plays music!

Interface

Along with the basic player you have a software CD to load onto your computer. It was the standard click-and-go set-up to add a simple interface screen where you can link up your iXL. The system has a few stock photos and songs but it is really easy to add more from your computer by selecting and syncing. The download speed is a little slow but not unbearable. You also use the interface when you buy games by installing the game on your PC and then syncing it through the interface. The player has a pretty decent memory and I was able to load 2 new games (along with the stock), 10 songs, and 10 pictures with room to spare.

Dislikes

Honestly this is one of the few toys I have run across that I have no complaints for. Everything was so easy to use and setup. My daughter had no problems diving in and using it.

Fisher-Price iXL Review: Final Thoughts

I love this toy. Fisher Price typically produces a solid product, and this one is no different. My daughter has turned the iXL into an instant companion in the car as well as for some relaxing time in her bedroom. With the scope of applications along with the ability to load more games in, this toy is a definite hit. The prices matches what you get and the option for a ‘blue’ boys model or ‘pink’ girls model is perfect considering the 3-7 year old users. After one day of use I started recommending this system to other parents as something to look at for a Christmas present because it seems to be a great way to encourage fun education at the pre-school and even kindergarten level. Two thumbs way up!

Buy the Fisher-Price iXL from Amazon